---
title: Life Insurance for Nurses | Coverfolk
url: https://coverfolk.com/jobs/nurses
updated: 2026-10-08
---

# Life insurance for nurses

Nurses care for everyone else. The job means long shifts, nights, and weekends. BLS says nurses can hurt their backs lifting patients and face infectious disease.

[Find my coverage gap](/jobs/nurses/calculator)

Updated October 8, 20265 sources[Fact checked](/editorial-standards)

**3.5 million**About 3.5 million registered nurse jobs (3,465,400) (2025)[Source: BLS OOH: Registered Nurses](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm)

**0.5**fatal injuries per 100,000 workers in 2023, vs 3.5 for all jobs[Source: BLS CFOI: Civilian occupations with high fatal work injury rates, 2023](https://www.bls.gov/charts/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries/civilian-occupations-with-high-fatal-work-injury-rates.htm)

[### nurses coverage calculator

Your pay, your loans, your work plan. See the gap in 30 seconds.

Open](/jobs/nurses/calculator) [### If you die on the job

What workers comp, work plans and Social Security pay, and what they don't.

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## Why it matters

Fatal injuries are rare for nurses. In 2023, registered nurses had a rate of 0.5 per 100,000 full time workers. The rate for all workers was 3.5.

Most nurses work in hospitals, and many get life insurance through work. That coverage usually ends if you change jobs or go travel. A policy you own stays with you.

* About 59 percent of registered nurses work in hospitals, where life coverage often comes through the job.
* Life insurance from work usually ends when you leave the job. A basic work plan often pays only one or two times your yearly pay.

## What an insurer may ask you

Have these ready. Being honest up front gets you a real price and avoids problems at claim time.

* Your health history
* Age and tobacco use
* Where you work and your role
* Travel nursing assignments

## Common questions

I have life insurance at the hospital. Why buy more?

A basic work plan often pays one or two times your yearly pay. It usually ends when you leave the job.

Will my job raise my price?

Nursing is a low risk job for fatal injuries. Your age, health, and tobacco use matter most.

Can I skip the medical exam?

Some insurers use data like prescription history and records instead of an exam. If the data is not enough, you may still need one.

## Coverage people in this job pick

[**Term life: The most coverage for the least money, for 10 to 30 years.**](/coverage/term-life)[**Mortgage protection: Life insurance sized to your home loan, so the house stays paid.**](/coverage/mortgage-protection)[**Final expense: Small whole life plans that pay for a funeral and last bills.**](/coverage/final-expense)[**Does my job change what I pay for life insurance?**](/answers/does-my-job-affect-life-insurance)[**Is the life insurance from my job enough?**](/answers/work-life-insurance-enough)[**How much life insurance do I need?**](/answers/how-much-life-insurance-do-i-need)

## Sources

1. [BLS OOH: Registered Nurses](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm)
2. [BLS CFOI: Civilian occupations with high fatal work injury rates, 2023](https://www.bls.gov/charts/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries/civilian-occupations-with-high-fatal-work-injury-rates.htm)
3. [Texas Department of Insurance: Life insurance guide](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/consumer/cb018.html)
4. [Texas Department of Insurance: Do you need life insurance?](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/tips/life-insurance.html)
5. [NAIC: Accelerated Underwriting](https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/accelerated-underwriting)

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